Earlier today, I had a local tire shop perform a front brake job (replace front brake pads and resurface front rotors) on my friend's 2009 Fit.
The tech who did the brake job believes in the theory of opening the bleeder screw while retracting the pistons. I watched him do this and wondered if air would be introduced into the system. He told me that he always opens the brake bleeder screw while retracting the pistons, and has never had to bleed the brakes afterwards. The reason why this works in his opinion is because you are essentially gravity bleeding the system and as long as you close the screw right as the piston fully retracts, there is no problem.
Sure enough, I got the car back and the pedal felt fine, maybe slightly soft. But after a pad bed-in, the pedal felt great-- no discernable difference from before the brake job.
Does anyone else open the bleeder screw to retract the caliper piston? I understand the theory behind it, though OEMs say there isn't enough fluid movement to cause any problems.
Thoughts?
The tech who did the brake job believes in the theory of opening the bleeder screw while retracting the pistons. I watched him do this and wondered if air would be introduced into the system. He told me that he always opens the brake bleeder screw while retracting the pistons, and has never had to bleed the brakes afterwards. The reason why this works in his opinion is because you are essentially gravity bleeding the system and as long as you close the screw right as the piston fully retracts, there is no problem.
Sure enough, I got the car back and the pedal felt fine, maybe slightly soft. But after a pad bed-in, the pedal felt great-- no discernable difference from before the brake job.
Does anyone else open the bleeder screw to retract the caliper piston? I understand the theory behind it, though OEMs say there isn't enough fluid movement to cause any problems.
Thoughts?